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The year was 1942. I was a hairdresser in Chorley, Lancashire. As hairdressing was considered to be a luxury trade in wartime and I was 18 years old, I was given the choice of munitions work or joining one of the forces.

My friend May and I travelled to Preston to sign up in the forces and received 绂卙e King鐥� Shilling銉� Two weeks later we were notified to go to Lancaster. We were met at Preston station by a sergeant, taken to Lancaster and 閬tted out銉粀ith our uniforms.

How different my life changed in the next 4 years. We moved from Lancaster to Arborfield, where we did 6 weeks of intensive training 銉籥ll 鍙宯 the double銉� Each one was assessed for 銉�
* Fitness
* Hearing
* Eyesight
* Nerves (in Ack-Ack action)

It was necessary to pass all the tests. Fortunately I passed as a 鍙edictor operator No.3銉粀hich involved looking through a telescope, keeping the target on the horizon line. This demanded steady nerves under gunfire and we needed a lot of practice. At the end of the day, we were mentally and physically exhausted. We lost our voices as all orders were shouted as loudly as possible.

The procedure was as follows 銉�
The predictor (鍠別rry銉汇兓called after its inventor) passed the information we put in on to the guns (3.7) then the gunners fired the shells. We worked in 2 groups 銉籄 and B. I was in B group 銉�5 on the predictor, 3 on height-finding. Spotters were on duty for 24 hours underground. The plotting room was always ready for any aircraft flying overhead.

We were well looked after with health inoculations every 3 months, regular dental care, F.F.I. (绱爎ee from infection銉� each Friday.

We (14 girls in each hut) were confined to our billets on Friday nights. We had to clean all our equipment, even to the studs on the bottom of our boots.

After 6 weeks practice in Arborfield, we were sent to Bude in Cornwall. This was our first Gun-Site 銉籺his was not operational, but it gave us a taste of what was to come. The only description of the gunfire (4 guns firing in a semi-circle with the predictor 20 yards away) was like 铇噀ll let loose銉� However, we got used to it.

Our battery was moved to 36 different sites along the East and South coasts of England.

Our entertainment committee provided us with good entertainment during our off-duty hours 銉籧oncerts, dancing, table-tennis, darts in the canteen and various sporting events outdoors.

During our time in Hull we shot down one of our own aircraft (a Wellington). The crew gave us the wrong signal. Fortunately they landed safely 銉籮ust the tail missing. We were commended for our accurate firing but the crew were not impressed. Hull was badly hit at the time.

At Caister, near Yarmouth, 25 A.T.S.s were killed by machine-gun fire. The enemy aircraft flew over in the early morning at sunrise 銉粀hen it was impossible to see them 銉籥nd peppered the coast with gun-fire. It was a frightening sight to see Focke Wulfs diving down while we tried to pay our respects 銉籹tanding to attention during the playing of the Last Post 銉籺o those who had been killed.

In 1943 銉�44 we were posted to Southern Command. The Batteries at Plymouth were fully operational with search-lights and 4.5 inch guns. Here we saw a lot of action as the German planes bombarded Plymouth and Devonport docks.

The American soldiers were billeted nearby at Crownhill (they were in a castle 銉粀e were in a field). They were so impressed by our work under-fire they put on a big party for us. What a treat we had 銉籌鑷磂 never seen such food. Tommy Dorsey and his band were visiting and we were invited 銉籹omething I will never forget.

While we were at Plymouth there was a 鍏╝lute the Soldier銉籶arade in which I took part. The people gave us an extra cheer: they did appreciate our presence there.

Our next move was to Loughton Essex, 15 miles from London. Here we encountered the Buzz Bombs (V1), which were terrifying to see. We had no defence for these and also for the V2s which followed them. A lot of defenceless civilians were killed during these raids.

Eventually things began to ease off and we ended at Brighton and Hove. It was a terrible winter 銉粀ashing ourselves with snow. There was no running water. We were even glad of the route marches to keep ourselves warm. We marched into Brighton for a weekly bath 銉籭n 5銉籵f water.

We were granted leave every 3 months. But as D Day approached all leave was cancelled for 9 months. At last D Day arrived. We were aware that something was a-foot because we were inoculated for over-seas. However, that never materialised 銉籦atteries all over England started to 鑸筫mob銉�
When our turn came I didn绋� know whether to be glad or sad. I had made some good friends in the A.T.S., sadly we never kept up our correspondence.
I returned home in February 1946 and took up my old job as a hairdresser 銉籵lder and wiser.
I met and married my husband (who was in the R.E.M.E.) in 1949 and have 2 sons.

I still remember some of the people in my Battery. I wonder if any are still living. Here are some of their names:-

Corporal Jean Johnson
Pte. Joan Glasgow
Staff Sergeant Ian McPhail
Captain Richard Larkin

I received a medal (1939-45) but I often wonder why 缇╟k Ack銉籲ever got a defence medal 銉籌 think we merited one!

On holiday in Yarmouth recently I was telling my husband what it was like there during the war. A lady nearby heard our conversation and said how pleased she was to meet someone who had helped defend Yarmouth 銉籭t was nice to be appreciated after such a long time.

That is my story of the war years 銉籹ome sad and some happy memories.
Mary Latham (nee Jackson)

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